I was going to write another peppy post about what was great about last year and what I’m looking forward to this year...

But.

It wouldn’t be very authentic. Because I’m struggling. With health, with hope, with knowing what to do in ANY AREA of my life. I feel lost, floating in a dark place; I don’t know where I am, how big this place is, how to get out...

Thinklings’ newest book (Sand to Glass, a dark literary fantasy) has got me thinking more than usual, lately, about mental health, personality types, and how everyone has their own way of coping with stress. . . . It’s a timely book—very timely, indeed!

I can never decide whether I love fall or spring more – but since it’s fall now, it’s my current favorite! ;)
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Despite some obnoxious setbacks that have happened this month, autumn is probably my most productive season. The invigorating chill in the crisp air energizes me; the oppressive heat of summer has fled, but bone-chilling winter won’t make its unwanted appearance for a while. Fall (like spring) is a reprieve between extremes . . . and I, for one, am not fond of extremes in temperature or weather; they’re hard for my body to handle. It’s also the beginning of hygge season – and it doesn’t get much better than curling under a soft blanket in the evening with a hot drink, some chocolate, and a great book!

I wondered if I should really do a post on this topic . . . I mean, I don't have the most interesting life ever. Unlike that guy from the memes. ;)

But my life sure is a whole lot more interesting now, with Thinklings, than it was back when I worked in customer service (*wince, grimace, flinch, internal screaming*) or just as a proofreader - which was way better, but I still felt that I wanted more. I just didn't know what it was until becoming COO for Thinklings Books!

I recently came across this article about how a lot of authors don’t feel like they have much or any support from their family and friends, when it comes to their writing. It struck a big enough chord in me to write a blog post about it.

​If you follow me on Goodreads*, you may have noticed this year I’m kind of into fairy tale retellings (FTRs). Those are super popular right now, but I’ve never been terribly interested in them, myself. I never hated or opposed them, either, but I just never got swept up in the obsession. (At no point have I felt the urge to write one. Fanfiction? Yep. FTRs? Still nope, at least right now.)

Wasabi, guys? (Remember that commercial?? ;P) Just whipping up a quick update this month because:

May is typically pretty busy for me, because it's spring - meaning I'm out of hibernation and thinking about All The Things that I need to do this year!! Prepping books for publication is a HECK of a lot of work, more than you'd think - more than I realized at first! Whew!...Don't get me wrong; I love doing it. Not complaining. The books are fantastic and I'm in love with them all! It's just, well, you wouldn't know "wasabi" unless I told you, right? (:

Plus, I have a super-huge proofreading job right now on top of Thinklings work and a chronic illness keeping my energy levels low. So, send thoughts and prayers! (And chocolate/caffeine...LOL...)

All right, here it is: the obligatory Valentine's-Day-or-love-related post you're probably expecting for the month of February. LOL!

I just got over being sick and am still catching up on work, so I decided to simply throw together a list of . . . well, you've read the title of the post. And, since it's not a leap year, there are 28 days this month, so that's 1 thing per day.

The picture above may be silly, but it is true: I never dreamed of starting/owning/running a business. My answer to "What do you want to be when you grow up?" was not even once "an entrepreneur." Far from it: as far back as I can remember, I've wanted to be a writer . . . specifically, a novelist. Working alone in a quiet room, not having to deal with people. Introvert paradise.

Music is something that has played, and still plays, a significant role in my life. About 95% of the time, I've got some song or other stuck in my head, and when I listen to my favorite music, familiar and comforting songs, it sends me to a warm, fuzzy, safe place.* I've been doing a lot of "nostalgic listening" lately since the COVID craze began: late '90s and early 2000s stuff, some of which I haven't heard since college!